Immortal Phoenix MTG Card
2016-11-16 - Number 70773
2018-11-16 - Number GP4
2019-07-12 - Number 332
2020-08-13 - Number 75
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Phoenix |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 5 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
Flying (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach.) When Immortal Phoenix dies, return it to its owner's hand.
Their fires burn quietly, allowing the phoenixes to glide silently through the canyon.
Cards like Immortal Phoenix
Immortal Phoenix rises over the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering as a creature that’s hard to keep down. Its kin in terms of resurrecting avian creatures would be the ever-popular Rekindling Phoenix. The latter also returns to the fray after destruction, but it does so with the help of a token that needs to survive until the next upkeep, giving opponents a window to intervene. Immortal Phoenix, however, autonomously returns to the player’s hand from the graveyard, ready to be recast without such limitations.
Comparatively, Firewing Phoenix offers a similar return mechanic, but with a mana-heavy activation cost for its revival. Immortal Phoenix dodges this by simply requiring the expense of being recast, no additional cost necessary. Another feathered contender is the Skyfire Phoenix, which hinges on your commander’s presence to make its victorious return, making it a deck-specific option, while Immortal Phoenix suits any build where a persistent aerial threat is valued.
In essence, while different phoenix cards cater to unique playstyles and decks, Immortal Phoenix asserts itself as a reliable and straightforward choice for ensuring long-term aerial dominance in a match, making it a resilient component for any strategy seeking to wear down an opponent with unwavering force.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Immortal Phoenix offers a recurring threat in MTG, being able to return to your hand from the graveyard whenever it dies. This continuous cycle of rebirth ensures that you retain a potent creature in hand, ready to be deployed repeatedly, providing ongoing card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting your mana pool, the sheer resilience of the Immortal Phoenix can save crucial mana resources over the length of the game. Instead of investing in multiple creatures, you’re able to recommit the same powerful flyer to the battlefield, effectively accelerating your in-game resources by focusing them elsewhere.
Instant Speed: Although the Immortal Phoenix itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, its undying nature allows you to play more aggressively with your instant-speed removal and counterspells, knowing you have a reliable creature that will return to your hand post-conflict. This strategic reliability lends flexibility to your plays, keeping opponents guessing.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Immortal Phoenix often demands a card to be discarded from your hand. This can pose a substantial drawback when your hand is already depleted, forcing you to lose potentially crucial resources.
Specific Mana Cost: Deploying Immortal Phoenix requires a specific arrangement of mana, including red. This necessity constrains its integration solely to decks that can reliably generate red mana, marginalizing its adaptability across various deck types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that tends to be on the heftier side, Immortal Phoenix can strain your mana resources, especially early in the game. In comparison, there are alternatives with lower mana demands that still provide considerable board presence or utility.
Reasons to Include Immortal Phoenix in Your Collection
Versatility: Immortal Phoenix stands out due to its ability to fit into various decks, bringing substantial value across multiple play styles. Its inherent resilience to removal by returning to your hand upon death makes it a reliable creature in many strategies.
Combo Potential: Its return-to-hand ability opens up numerous combo possibilities, synergizing with cards that trigger on creatures entering or leaving the battlefield. This phoenix can be a key piece in engine decks looking for consistent triggers.
Meta-Relevance: Given that Immortal Phoenix can recurrently pose a threat after being dealt with, it maintains relevance in metas where board clears and removal are prevalent. It demands answers from your opponents time and again, potentially draining their resources.
How to beat
Immortal Phoenix is a creature that rises from the ashes, providing MTG players with a pesky challenge. Each time this fearsome bird is destroyed, it only seems to return with the next draw, ready to take to the skies once again. It is this resilience that makes Immortal Phoenix a formidable card to face. Handling this card is less about brute force and more about strategic containment.
Players keen on neutralizing Immortal Phoenix should consider cards that counter its ability to return. Exile effects or abilities that tuck the Phoenix into the library are ideal strategies. Using spells like Path to Exile or Oblivion Ring can ensure that the Phoenix doesn’t make a triumphant return from the graveyard. Alternatively, employing control strategies to prevent the Phoenix from even entering the battlefield is another approach. Counterspells like Cancel or Thought Collapse can keep this creature card safely inside the opponent’s hand or deck. Ultimately, managing Immortal Phoenix means preparing for its inevitable attempt to stay in the game, requiring careful planning and a focus on control.
Indeed, while Immortal Phoenix holds an allure of invincibility, understanding and utilizing your deck’s control and exile capabilities can turn the tide of battle in your favor. Being prepared for its resurgence is key to mastering the board when facing this powerful Phoenix.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Immortal Phoenix MTG card by a specific set like Treasure Chest and M19 Gift Pack, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Immortal Phoenix and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Immortal Phoenix Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2016-11-16 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by Daarken.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-11-16 | Treasure Chest | PZ2 | 70773 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daarken | |
| 2 | 2018-11-16 | M19 Gift Pack | G18 | GP4 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daarken | |
| 3 | 2019-07-12 | Core Set 2020 | M20 | 332 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daarken | |
| 4 | 2020-08-13 | Arena Beginner Set | ANB | 75 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daarken |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Immortal Phoenix has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Immortal Phoenix card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2019-07-12 | If Immortal Phoenix leaves the graveyard after it dies but before its triggered ability resolves, it won’t be returned to its owner’s hand. |